The effect of fecal microbiota transplantation on stroke outcomes: A systematic review

Background and Purpose Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a novel microbiota-based therapeutic method that transfers stool from donor into a recipient and its application is under investigating for neurological disorders such as stroke. In this systematic review, we assessed the effect of FMT in progression and treatment of stroke and recovery of post-stroke complications. Methods Preliminary studies were searched in MEDLINE via PubMed, Scopus, COCHRANE library and Google Scholar, databases up to February 2022. The search strategy was restricted to articles about FMT in stroke. The initial search yielded 4570 articles, of which 19 publications were included in our systematic review. Results Based on outcomes transferring microbiome from healthy or ischemic donor to other ischemic recipient can affect brain infarct volume and survival rate, neurological and behavioral outcomes, and inflammatory pathways. Conclusions Our systematic review on preclinical studies showed that manipulating gut microbiota via FMT can be a possible therapeutic approach for treatment of stroke and recovery of post-stroke complications.